Various methods have been studied in order to efficiently form a fine and precise pattern on a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, or the like at a low cost. For example, a printing method has been disclosed in which a resin to be printed is applied onto the entire surface of a first plate called a blanket, a surface of which is coated with silicone rubber having detachability, and a second plate having a projection-and-recess pattern on a surface side thereof is then pressed onto the surface side of the first plate, on which the resin is provided, to transfer an unwanted pattern of the resin to top faces of projections of the second plate, thereby removing the unwanted pattern, and a resin pattern remaining on the surface of the first plate is transferred to a transfer-receiving substrate (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-58921).
When a fine and precise pattern is formed using this printing method, it is necessary that a liquid composition used therein maintain an appropriate transfer characteristic of the liquid composition in each of the steps of applying the liquid composition onto a first plate, transferring an unwanted pattern of a liquid-composition coating film from the first plate to a second plate, and transferring a pattern from the first plate to the transfer-receiving substrate.
First, in the step of applying the liquid composition onto the first plate, in general, the surface of the first plate is formed of a material having detachability, and a thin, smooth, and uniform liquid-composition coating film must be formed on this surface having detachability. Accordingly, it is necessary to appropriately control physical property values of the liquid composition.
In addition, in the next step of transferring an unwanted pattern of the liquid-composition coating film from the first plate to the second plate, the liquid-composition coating film applied onto the first plate must be completely transferred with the pattern shape remaining as it is on the top faces of the projections of the second plate to be contacted. For this purpose, it is necessary that after the liquid composition is applied onto the first plate, the viscosity of the resulting liquid-composition coating film be appropriately increased, and the liquid-composition coating film on the first plate maintain an appropriate tackiness and cohesive property.
Furthermore, in the step of transferring to the transfer-receiving substrate, the patterned liquid-composition coating film remaining on the first plate must be completely transferred to the transfer-receiving substrate. For this purpose, it is necessary that the liquid-composition coating film after patterning be in an appropriate coating film state (dry state) suitable for transfer.
An example of an ink composition for preparing a color filter in which the viscosity value of an ink composition (liquid composition) used in printing, the surface energy thereof, and the vapor pressure value of a solvent are set to cope with these technical problems has been disclosed (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-128346).